Linotype-machine.



J. R. ROGERS LINOTYPE MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 20, 1908.

PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

No. 890,178. I PATENTED JUNE 9. 1908. J. R. ROGERS.

LINOTYPE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 20 190B 4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

4r! uil /If PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908. J. R. ROGERS.-

LIN OTYPE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1908.

4: SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

J. R. ROGERS.

LINOTYPE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 20, 1908 4 SHEETS SHEET' 4| 7 a @51 fi flfiowzu med mo:

UNITED sTA'ras P rENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. ROGERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Lnvo'rYPn MAonmE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented June 9, 1908.

Application filed February 20, 1908. Serial No. 416,873.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN R. RocERs, of borough ofBrooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Linotype-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to means intended more particularly for use in linotype machines which contain circulating matrices, to effect the distribution, or separation of the matrices.

My invention is applicable either for the separation of matrices of different fonts bearing the same character, so that they may be directed to different magazines, or-to the separation of matrices belonging to different fonts according to font, in order that they may bedelivered to different distributing; mechanisms, and the object is primarily to provide an extremely simple mechanism which shall be positive in its action, and without moving parts.

To this end it consists broadly in a stationary deflector or separator, having reversely inclined surfaces arranged as hereinafter described and adapted to cooperate with suit-v ably notched matrices in such manner that a matrix delivered endwise to -'the separator will be deflected sidewise to the right or left into one channelor another, according to the nature of the-slots in the matrix.

My'invention also includes matrices having their surfaces differently at one end, in order that they may cooperate with the stationary deflector in order to pursue one path or another, as demanded.

In the drawings,'-Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section-throughmy distributing mechanism in a form adapted for separating matrices of'different fonts bearing the same character, and effecting their delivery to the magazines in which they are res ectively stored. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertica sections through oneof the distributing .deyices, showing the manner in which the matrices of different forms are deflected to the left and right respectively. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5, Figs. 1 and 4, looking in a downward direction. Figs. 6

' and 7 are side views of two matrices containing. the same character but belonging to different fonts. Fig. 8 is a perspective view notched or cut through one of the distributers, with the matrix-guiding tubes or conductors connected therewith. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a mechanism for separating matrices of four fonts, and delivering them to a series of dis- .tributers by which they are in turn distributed to the channels of four magazines. Fig. 10 is a cross-section on the line 10-10, Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the distribu ters or deflectors, with a portion of the surrounding'tubes or conductors broken away. Figs. 12 and 13 are vertical crosssections of the same, showing the manner in which matrices difierently notched are de- Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of the matrices.

-In order that the remainder of the mechanism'shown may be more readily understood, I will first describe one of the separators or deflectors, and the manner in which it separates the passing matrices into two groups. The separator is intended to deal with matrices of the well known Mergenthaler form, such as shown at A, A, in Figs. 6 and 7, or with matrices of any other form, which are adapted to receive the notches herein after described. Y

Each of the matrices shown, consists of a flat plate of a generally rectangular form,

and with the character or matrix proper a, in one edge, as usual. formed as usual, with four ears at the respective corners, projecting edgewise beyond the body of the matrix, these ears serving vto guide the matrices through the magazine and to aline them in the casting position. All the matrices employed will be alike as to their external form and dimensions, but they will vary in thickness to correspond with the characters with which they are provided. In adapting these matrices for use in my distributing mechanism, I provide them in the lower ends with vertical notches differing in number, or arrangement, or both, as between matrices of different fonts, or matrices which, for other reasons, are to pursue different paths. For example, in Fig. 6 the matrix. A, to be stored in one magazine of the machine,

is provided with a single central notch a in its lower end. The matrix A, shown in Fig.

flected to the left and right respectivelyw with distributing teeth a in the upper end,

The matr'nr is also overlapped, or in other words,

' tion at its center will side face to the other,

surface inclined 1n toward the channel on the opposite side 'of' 7, and intended for storage in another magazine, is provided with two notches a on opposite sides of the same.

The number of slots andtheir relativearrangement may be Widely varied at will accordingto the number of separations to be effected, the only requirement being that each matrix shall present an unbroken or uncut surface to cooperate with the surface or surfaces of the deflector inclined in one direction as hereinafter described, and that it shall also .be slotted or cut away in such manner as, to avoid deflecting surfaces inclined in the reverse direction.

It will be observed that the slots extend through the matrices transversely from'one and that they leave the matrices of a symmetrical and generally rectangular form, so that they may be controlled and used in the machine in the-same manner as ordinary commercial matrices.

A typical separator or deflector adapted to cooperate with the matrices shown in Figs. 6 and 7, is illustrated in Fig. 8. It consists of a stationary base portion B, rovided with three rigid upright tongues b, 1), adapted to enter the respective notches in the matrices as the latter. are permitted todescend endwise toward-them.

It will be seen that the tongues b, b, have their top surfaces inclined downward toward the channel on'the right side of the separator, While the intermediate tongue has its upper the reverse direction, or

the separator.

It is to be observed that the oppositely inclined surfaces of the respective tongues are arranged to cross or intersect a central vertical plane. One advantage of this arrangement lies in the fact. that the matrices of different thicknesses descending in the same path, may be separated by a sidewise, as distinguished from an edgewise movement, and .by a very slight deflection of the matrices from their ori inal paths.

f the matrix A is delivered endwisetothe separator, the solid or uncut portionsof its lower end will ride on the inclined upper surfaces of the tongues b, which will serve to deflect the descending matrix to theleft, in the manner shown in Fig. 2, and on the left-hand in Fig. 4. During thisaction, the tongue I) enters the notch a and is inactive, theslot being formed for the purpose of affording clearance for the tongue ada ted for de ection to the left.

If the second matrix A is delivered downward to the separator,

, ride upon the inclined surface of the tongue 1) and the matrix will be deflected to the right, the tongues b at By providing but this is not a necessary feature.

from a single ferent sizes. or forms.

so that it wil have no effect u on those matrices which are the solid or uncut porv ided, I locate such time passing idly through the slots a as shown in Fig. 3. Y

It is to be noted that the slots are formed for the purpose of avoiding any action or influence on the part of those inclined surfaces which are not, for the moment, in use. the separator with the surfaces reversely inclined, and providing the matrices with slots so arranged that whenevera matrix rides'upon a surface inclinedin'one direction, it Wlll, at the same time, avoid JcdntactWith the surfaces inclined in the 'reverse direction, 1 am enabled to effect-the speedy certain separation of .the matrices into two groups or sets as they pass the separator.

The surfaces forming the up er ends of the slots are preferably incline as shown, It is recommended, however, because'the necessary clearance can -be given by the removal of less metalv than would otherwise-be required.

Referring now'to the manner in which my 3 separator may be used to-deliver matrices distributer to two magazines, attention is directed C and C represent two inclined channeled magazines in which the matrices are to be stored. These magazines may be of the ordinary Mergenthaler construction shown in U. S. Letters Patent #436,532, or of any other suitable construction. D represents a distributer of the ordinar ,Mergenthaler type, designed to separate t e matrices accordin to letter. It consists of a horizontal fixed ar provided with longitudinal permuted teeth on the lower edge to engage the teeth of the matrices and hold them ,in, sus

ension as they are moved along the bar, until they arrive at the oints at which they are to be discharged, .t e inovement being effected by means of screws E,'E, in a'manner well understood in the art. The matrix fonts carried in the respective magazines will contain the same characters, but in dif- For example, a

Roman A will be carried in a channel of the upper ma azine, and a Gothic A will be carried in t e corresponding channel of the lower magazine. Both of these characters will be released from the distributer-bar D at the same point, one at a time. For the urposeof conducting the matrices thus deivered' to the different magazines in which they belong, I provide a-ser es of conducting tubes F, suchas shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 8, each 'made at the upper end in'the form of a single from the its length tube to receive the matrices fallin distributer, but divided midway 0 into two" tubes F and F which communicate with the respective magazines.- At the point where the the separator B. All the conductor is forked or di-.

to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive. 1

directed into corresponding channels of the upper and lowermagazines.

rect the two groups of matrices to the sepawhile the matrices delivered matrices falling from the one point on the distributer-bar. regardless of the magazine in which they belong, are received upon the ieparator B. by which they are deflected, according to form, right and left into the lower ends 1*, F, from. which they pass into the respective magazines. A matrix belonging in .the upper magazine, falling from the distributer through the passage F, is deflected to the left, and passes through the branch F; while a matrix belonging in the lower n=agazine pursues the same path until it reaches the separator B, when it is deflected to the right and caused to pass through the conductor F It will be observed that the lower'ends F and F are deflected laterally, and that one terminates directly over the other in the same vertical plane.

I believe it to be .new in the art to separate matrices descending in a common path, by deflecting them laterally, that is to say, sidewise to the right and left, and also new to then bring them back after separation into the same vertical plane so that they may be I will 110w describe the manner in which my separator is utilized to effect the separation of matrices belonging to four fonts. and to deliver the same to a corresponding number of distributers for returning the individual matrices to the corresponding channels in the several magazines.

Referring to Fig. 9, D represents a snort distributer-bar to which the matrices are successively presented by the ordinary devices used in commercial Mergenthaler machines. This bar is adapted to release all the matrices regardless of letter and font, and permit them to descend to a common point through a guiding throat-H to a separator B, similar to that shown in the preceding fig- The lower ends of the matrices are notched in the manner alreadydescribed, and the separator B serves to deflect them right and left, those oftwo fonts being deflected to the right, and those of the other two fonts being deflected t0 the left.

H and H are conductors extending downward below the separator B, serving to dirators B and B, which are similar in construction to those above described except that the tongues or inclined surfaces are differently spaced horizontally.

The notches in the matrices are spaced to correspond, and in such manner that the matrices of two fonts descending to the conductor H, are separated and deflected right and left through conductors H and H; to the separator B are in like manner divided into two grou s and directed through conductors H and I i Thus it is that each of the conductors H II, ll" and H reeeives only the matrices belonging to one and the same font. These conductors are extended downward and de flected laterally, as shown in Fig. 10, in such manner as to deliver the matrices of the respective fonts between the feed screws E, E, by which they are delivered along the ordinary distributer-bars 1), D D D and D by which they are finally delivered to the channels of the magazines.

It will be observed that separators constructed on my plan will operate equally well on thick and thin matrices, and that matrices of all thicknesses commonly employed. may be divided by the one separator. It is also to be observed that the structure permits the use of matrices having the same marginal form and size, except as to the notches therein, so that it is available in connection with the regular commercial matrices now in com mon use.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a line-casting machine, a matrix separator having reversely inclined overlapping surfaces, substantially as shown; whereby it is adapted to deflect passing matrices right or left, according to form.

2. In combination with matrices containing variant notches, a fixed deflector having oppositely inclined overlapping surfaces to deflect the passing matrices, substantially as shown. I

3. In combination with a series of variously notched'matrices and means for guiding them endwise to a separator, a separator having tongues with oppositely inclined surfaces adapted to enter the notches, substantially as shown; whereby a matrix deflected by asurface inclined in one direction, is prevented from encountering the oppositely inclined surface.

4. The combination of a series of matrices notched substantially as described, means for guiding them, and successive separators arranged in the path ofthe matrices, each having reversely inclined surfaces substantially as shown, whereby the matrices are divided into two groupsqand these groups again divided.

5. In combination, two parallel magazines having corres ondingly arranged channels, a

distributer a apted to release corresponding:

matrices for the two magazines at a common point, an intermediate deflector arranged to separate the matrices laterally according to font, and means forguiding the se arated matrices to the corresponding channe s of the respective magazines.

6. A conductor through which matrices for two magazines are delivered, means located' in the path of the matrices for separating those of one magazine from those of the other, and two conductors on opposite having upright tongues with inversely i11- sides of the separating means to receive the clined surfaces, substantially described. matrices, said conductors having their e- In testimony whereof 1 hereunto set my livery ends arranged in a 00111111011 vertical hand this twenty fifth-day of'Jaiiuai-y,1008,

5 plane 20116 over the other; whereby they are in the presence of two attestingwitnesses. l5

adapted to deliver the mat ices to corie- JOHN R lfl'xldmris'v sponding channels of two magazines.

-7. A series of matrices having variously Witnesses: 1 y arranged transverse notches in oneeml, in ROBERT G, CLARK, j

0 combination with a stationary separator JESSIE LSMITH. 

